Our Projects

Tiyatro Kooperatifi Yaz Buluşmaları

In order to create space for the Theatre Cooperative partners that were forced to be away from stages during the pandemic, to strengthen the solidarity and collective culture between the independent theatres, and to bring audiences from all ages together with the healing power of theatre art, we organized the first edition of the Tiyatro Kooperatifi Yaz Buluşmaları (Theatre Cooperative Summer Meetings) between 2 August-25 September 2021. As part of the project that was open to all cooperative partners, series of events were organized at Fenerbahçe Park, Caddebostan Amphitheatre and Ataşehir Deniz Gezmiş Park Amphitheatre, with the contribution of Ataşehir Municipality, Kadıköy Municipality, and the venue support of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. The Caddebostan leg of the event took place at Anadolu Efes Mavi Sahne. With its rich program consisting of 31 plays for adults and 10 children’s plays, Yaz Buluşmaları hosted 37 different independent theatre companies in the course of 41 days. The project was supported by many persons and corporate firms, including KONIX, Eker Süt Ürünleri, Mey Diageo, ParPlus Paravan Sistemleri, Gürbüz Çapan and Itır Erhart. Generated from ticket sales, personal and corporate contributions, the total income of Yaz Buluşmaları was transferred to the independent theatres that took part in the program. 

 

 

Cooperative System for Independent Theatres in Turkey

While starting our journey in May 2018, one of our wishes was to form a theatre cooperatives alliance in Turkey. The meeting conducted with the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism in March 2020 with the emergence of the Covid-19 urged us to create a nationwide communication network with the independent theatres in Turkey. We explained why we believe that the cooperative system and a potential alliance would be an ideal solution for the sector’s problems. Our This project accelerated with the support of Sivil Toplum için Destek Vakfı and Turkey Mozaik Foundation’s Culture & Arts fund. We are currently organizing training programs and providing consultancy for the establishment of 5 theatre cooperatives in different regions of Turkey.

#BizdeYerinAyrı Campaign

We carried out the #BizdeYerinAyrı campaign between May 2020-June 2021 to raise money for the independent theatres that were forced to stop all their activities during the pandemic. With the campaign, theatre audiences got the chance to reserve their places in advance for the upcoming plays and support 33 theatre companies that took part in the project. The campaign was realized in collaboration with Mobilet and supported by many corporate firms including Anadolu Efes, Mey Diageo, Yapı Kredi and Zorlu Holding.

Çözüm Buluşmaları

As part of our Theatre Management, Capacity Building and Networking Project supported by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, we organized Tiyatro Kooperatifi Çözüm Buluşmaları (Theatre Cooperative Solution Meetings) in December 2020 in collaboration with Istanbul Bilgi University Cultural Policy and Management Research Center. The sessions moderated by Assoc.Prof. Gökçe Dervişoğlu Okandan, Assoc.Prof. Itır Erhart and Assoc.Prof. Serhan Ada from Bilgi University hosted many speakers including Gülhan Kadim (Altıdan Sonra Theatre & Kumbaracı50, General Coordinator), İpek M. Sur (Sr. Policy Officer for Culture & Public Diplomacy for the Netherlands), Prof.Dr. Lluis Bonet (University of Barcelona), Mehmet Ergen (Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality City Theatres, Artistic Director), Atılım Şahin (ATÖLYE, Director of Communities), Özlem Daltaban (DOT Theatre, Co-founder, Producer), Barış Celiloğlu (Actress, Director), Sedef Ecer (Playwright, Director), and Zişan Uğurlu (Artistic Director, Actress) focused on issues including the resilience of culture & arts institutions in during the times of crisis, theatre management in hard times, cultural participation during Covid-19 and good examples from the international culture & arts scene. You can watch the webinars on our YouTube channel. 

5G:XR – Brighton Istanbul

We are one of the industry partners of the project 5GXR: Brighton & Istanbul which is realized in collaboration with University of Brighton, Brunel University, Bahçeşehir University and Istanbul Bilgi University and funded by the Arts and Humanities Council and Newton-Katip Çelebi fund. The project explores the effects of 5G, AR and VR technologies on the performing arts and the gaming sector. During the online symposium which was organized on November 5, 2020, the performing arts and game professionals from Turkey and the UK met on Discord and exchanged knowledge and experience. The Cooperative partners Kadıköy Theatron and Yolcu Tiyatro also presented their works.

IETM Multi-location Autumn Plenary Meeting: What Matters Now?: Building a Culture of Resilience in Performing Arts

We have hosted theatre professionals from all around the world in the webinar we organized as part of the IETM’s (International network for contemporary performing arts) Multi-location Autumn Plenary Meeting. Arundhati Ghosh (India – India Foundation for the Arts Executive Director), Hanane Hajj Ali (Lebanon – Culture Resource Co-founder, Theatre Maker, Artivist), Kalina Wagenstein (Bulgaria – Art Offiice Foundation Director), Mike van Graan (South Africa – Sustaining Theatre and Dance Foundation Project Manager, Playwright) and Mikhail Durnenkov (Lubimovka Festival Art Director, Playwright) were the session which was moderated by the Theatre Cooperative’s Vice President Yeşim Özsoy.

Idea Exchange Table

We take strength from the uniting power of our team of consultants. In collaboration with InogarArt, we have initiated an Idea Exchange Table with the participation of leading professionals.

Festtogether 2021 / Bir Kira Bir Sahne (A Rent & A Stage)

We are one of the stakeholders of the NeedsMap.Coop’s (İhtiyaç Haritası) project Festtogether / Bir Kira Bir Sahne (A Rent & A Stage). The project was developed to provide financial support for the performing arts laborers and rent support for culture & arts venues in the Covid-19 period.

Facebook Civil Society Program

We are a part of the Facebook Civil Society Program which aims to transfer the social sensitivities on social media to the right medium, civil society.

 

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Address

Atatürk Mahallesi Ertuğrul Gazi Sokak Metropol İstanbul D6 No:2/J Ataşehir/İstanbul